


The Anomaly

by tracy7307



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Spatial Anomaly, Trapped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 11:38:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17099882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tracy7307/pseuds/tracy7307
Summary: Sometimes space anomalies just *know* what's best.And sometimes that means Tom and Harry getting trapped together in a little room.





	The Anomaly

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheMostePotente](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMostePotente/gifts).



A pile of wires wound around each other in a jumbled mess, dangling down from the open panel like multi-colored pasta, limp and nonsensical. Harry toyed with them, pulling at the strands. Irritation pricked under his skin. “Of all the mother-loving things-”

 

“Whoa, whoa, such strong _language,_ ensign,” said Tom Paris with a sly smile. He stood leaning with his forearm against the open doorway of the small room, all casual charm. “Can I lend you a hand?”

 

Harry sighed. Of course Tom would be here to see his moment of supreme idiocy, because why wouldn’t he? “Yeah, thanks. I can’t seem to make heads or tails of this. The Captain sent me back here to try and sort out this connection, but I’m starting to think she just wanted me out of her hair.”

 

Tom removed himself from the doorway and strolled over to the pile of wires, plucking at a couple of them. The door swished closed behind him. “Seems unlikely. If she wanted you out, she wouldn’t have made up some excuse.”

 

“I don’t know,” Harry said as he started to sort wires with Tom. “Looked like she was about to start some kind of intense conversation with B’Elanna.”

 

Tom huffed a laugh and pulled three purple wires to the side. “ _Every_ conversation with B’Elanna is intense.” He shook his head and glanced upward.

 

Harry cocked an eyebrow and tried to follow Tom’s random pattern, which as far as Harry could tell was separating the wires by the color scheme of Chez Sandríne. “Trouble in paradise already?”

 

A pained look fell across Tom’s face. “She’s beautiful, no doubt about that, but it was like trying to date an angry kitten.”

 

Harry dropped the wires he was holding. “ _Was_ , huh?”

 

Tom shrugged one shoulder. “Wasn’t meant to be, I guess.”

 

“You know what you should do?”

 

“Hold that thought,” Tom said as he jammed the wires back into the open panel. “Why don’t you give me your sage advice over a drink? Been a long day. I could use a bit of booze right now and a couple hours with a good friend.”

 

Harry found himself nodding because _yes_ he could use Tom’s company about now. He could already feel his muscles relaxing at the thought of an easy laugh and the warmth of some alcohol in his stomach.

 

A couple of hours around Tom with those eyes -- eyes that reminded Harry of the Atlantic Ocean, times when he would wade in it on family visits to Myrtle Beach, clear and blue. Bright and glistening.

 

He kept that last one to himself.

 

“Okay. Sounds like a plan. Holodeck?”

 

“Nah,” Tom said with a warm smile. “Not tonight. Let’s go to my quarters.”

 

 _Even better_ , Harry thought.  He returned Tom’s smile and walked to the small room’s exit, proceeding to slam face-first into the door, which for some reason did not open upon his approach.

 

He stumbled backward and felt Tom’s hands on his back, sliding to his waist to steady him. “Whoa there,” Tom said. “You hurt?”

 

“Yeah, no,” Harry pressed his hand to his face and pulled it away, revealing no blood. He felt hot embarrassment creep up his neck. “I mean, I’m good. Only thing I hurt is my pride.”

 

Tom looked at the door. “What is _wrong_ with this thing?” He stepped forward and reached out, touching it. No movement. “Computer, open door.”

 

_Cannot perform that function at this time._

 

Harry touched his badge. It did not even chirp in response. “What-”

 

Tom tapped his badge. Nothing.

 

“Computer,” Harry said, testiness edging his voice. “ _Open. Door._ ”

 

_Cannot perform that function at this time._

 

Tom grabbed the panel covering from the floor and wedged it in the door’s crack. He pried it forward and backward. Harry stepped in and faced Tom, grabbing the cover and pressing as Tom pulled, but the door wasn’t budging.

 

“Computer, tell Bridge that Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Paris are trapped in Energy Grid section 9C,” Tom said into the air with this hands on his hips.

 

_Cannot perform that function at this time._

 

Harry threw his hands up in the air. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

 

Tom smiled a small, tight smile. “Guess that drink’s gonna have to wait. Sorry, Harry.”

 

_~*~_

 

Two and a half hours later, it turned out to be an entirely pleasant evening, even without alcohol and with the hard floor as a seat.

 

After trying every command and every hack they could think of, Tom sat down heavily on the floor, sighing. He leaned against the wall of the small room and patted the spot beside him. “Have a seat, my friend. It appears that we’re stuck.”

 

Harry slumped down next to Tom and found that as time waned, Tom became heavier, sleepier, the weight of his shoulder pressing more firmly against Harry’s. Harry had already delivered the obligatory “B’Elanna wasn’t right for you anyway” speech interspersed between Tom’s” _Yeah, I know, I know”_ s.

 

“But you do realize, Harry, that you have _impossible_ taste in women, right?”

 

“Yep,” Harry said, his eyes fixed on the spot where Tom’s hand rested on the floor just centimeters apart from Harry’s. “Impossible taste.”

 

“I mean, c’mon. _Seven_ of all people? You’d have a better chance with Gallagher. Or that cute blonde helmsman who does the night shift with you. They’re both good-looking ladies.”

 

“Uh huh. Sensible choices, Tom,” Harry said and shifted his fingers just the tiniest bit closer. “Not really my type, though.”

 

“Hm,” Tom said. His little finger slid on top of Harry’s. “So if it’s not impossible women, what exactly _is_ your type then?”

 

Harry didn’t move his hand right away. Just watched as Tom’s fingers slid slowly, slowly on top of his. Tom, always brave. First to volunteer for the dangerous away mision. First to go running out the door. Always so confident and sure.

 

Harry tried to channel that confidence. “I like blonds.”

 

Tom nodded. His eyes were focused on where they rested on top of Harry’s. “The helmsman from the night crew, then?”

 

“She’s too nice.” Harry turned his hand facing upward so that his palm met Tom’s. “I like someone a little more -- rakish.”

 

“Rakish,” Tom repeated and slid his fingertips over Harry’s fingers, back and forth. A teasing little touch. It kind of tickled, but Harry held his hand still. “What else, Harry?” Tom asked as he leaned closer.

 

“They have to be easygoing,” Harry closed his fingers around Tom’s and pulled their clasped hands to his mouth. “They have to enjoy life.” He kissed the first knuckle. “They have to be complex.” Kissed another one. “Have grown as a person.” Another. “And most importantly,” he pulled his hand away and kissed the palm of Tom’s hand. “They have to have shown me that they’re a fiercely loyal friend.”

 

For the first time that Harry could recall, Tom Paris was struck silent.

 

Harry leaned over and pressed his lips to Tom’s.

 

Tom kissed him back, moved his hands to Harry’s face, down to his shoulders, tugging him closer, fists full of Harry’s uniform. Tom kissed exactly like Harry thought he would -- full of immediate fire and passion, want etched into every press of his lips. Harry was breathless.

 

Tom’s tongue touched Harry’s lips. Harry hummed and parted his lips, just _lit up_ inside.

 

The door swished open.

 

Harry pulled back and Tom tried to chase his lips. Harry stopped him with a hand to the chest.

 

Above them, Seven stood with her arms crossed, her eyebrow arched. “The Captain is searching for you both.”

 

“We were, uhm,” Harry straightened his uniform. “We were trapped in here. Coms, computer, door -- nothing would work.”

 

Seven paused for a moment. “The anomaly must have affected this room as well. There were multiple reports of crewmen trapped all over Voyager with a lack of ability to communicate.” She regarded each of them with a sharp glance. “It appears as though you filled your time with an attempt at copulation.”

 

Tom waved his hand at Seven and pushed up from the floor. “Would’ve been much more successful at copulating if you wouldn’t have walked in the door.” He reached down and helped pull Harry to his feet. “Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to take Ensign Kim here to complete said copulation.”

 

Seven uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on her hips. “Your intercourse must wait. The Captain requires both of you to report to the bridge.”

 

“Hear that Harry? Our intercourse must _wait_.” Tom rolled his eyes and reached down to touch Harry’s hand.

 

Harry’s face felt like it was _on fire_ and he was certain it was the shade of bright red of Tom’s uniform. He returned Tom’s touch, though. “Lucky for us, Tom, we have lots of time ahead of us.”

 

“You do not have that time right now,” Seven snapped. She turned and started marching up the hall.  

 

Tom and Harry fell in behind her. Their pace was not quite as harried. They lingered, touching hands. Not quite holding, just feeling. Exploring.

 

Before the door to the bridge opened, Tom leaned over and planted a kiss, brief and promising, on Harry’s lips.

 

Seven shook her head.

 

_~*~_

 

Outside of Voyager, the anomaly lingered. It flashed pink, then purple, then blue, and zipped away far into the Delta quadrant.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas to my best friend, TheMostePotente. I love you bb.


End file.
